Lid prop



Jan. 29, 1924.

| B. CRAIG LID PROP Filed NOV. 5, 1920 Patented Jan. 29, 1924.

UNITED STATES LOUIS B. CRAIG,OF DAVENPORT, IOVYA.

LID PROP.

Application filed November 3, 1920. Serial No. 421,605.

(FILED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, 22 STAT. L, 625.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Louis B. CRAIG, a citi- Zen of the United States, and a resident of Davenport, county of Scott, and State of Iowa, have invented an Improvement in Lid Props, of which the following is a specification.

The invention described herein maybe used by the Government, or any of its oflicers or employees in prosecution of work for the Government, or by any other person in the United States, withoutpayment to me of any royalty thereon.

The subject of this invention is a lid prop designed especially for use on an ammunition chest, though not limited to such use.

The main object of the invention is the provision of a prop whichtwill act automatically to hold a lid in raised position and which may be readilyreleased when the lid is to be closed.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for fastening the prop to the chest.

A still further object of the invention is.

the provision of a simple, cheap and efficient lidprop.

With these and other objects in view which will hereinafter more fully appear, the invention resides in a novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

One practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of an ammunition chest showing a prop constructed in accordance with the invention in place thereon;

Fig. 2 shows the prop guide in plan View and in longitudinal section;

Fig. 3 shows the prop in plan view and in side elevation; and

Fig. 4 shows the prop eye in plan view and in side elevation.

Referring to the drawings by numerals of reference:

An ammunition chest is indicated by the numeral 10 the openings to which are adapted to be closed by lids 11 attached to the chest by hinges 12.

Secured to the top plate of the chest by suitable means, such as the rivets shown, is an eye 13 consisting of a metal strip or plate bent to form an tip-standing loop. 14 in which loop is positioned a block 15, the upper end of which is grooved so that, when the block is in place in the loop, an eye 14 is formed between the upper end of the block. and the bridge of the loop. The block 15 and the loop are provided with aligning aper tures for the reception of a cotter pin 16 or other fastening means by which the block may be held in its position in the loop.

livotally mounted in the eye 14 is a prop 17 formed from a bar of resilient metal bent upon itself with its ends angularly disposed as at 18.

A guide plate 19 is provided, which is formed with flanges 2O overlying and spaced from the base of the plate to provide longi tudinal grooves 21 in which the ends 18 of the prop may freely slide. The flanges 2O are formed, near one end of the plate, with inwardly projecting portions 22 terminating in notches 23, which portions serve to draw the sides or legs of the prop toward each othe as the lid is opened and the ends of the prop legs slide up the groove, and direct them into the notches 23.

A tongue 24 is formed at the end of the plate 19 at which the notches 23 are situated and is rolled to form an abutment or stop to prevent the legs of the prop from passing out of the guide plate grooves. Apertures 25 are provided in the plate to permit the plate to be Secured to the lid 11 by rivets or other suitable fastening means.

In practice the device is operated in the following manner.

The plate 19 is secured in place on the lid, the eye 13 and block 15 are assembled on the prop, the ends 18 of the prop legs are inserted in the grooves 21 and the eye then secured to the chest.

When the lid is opened, the prop swings in the bracket the ends of the legs sliding up the grooves 21 until the legs snap past the portions 22 and into the notches 23. The Y lid is then held in position by theprop.

To again lower the lid the legs of the prop are grasped and drawn toward each other releasing them from the notches and allowing them to pass the portions 22, when they may be released and the lowering of the lid continued.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A lid prop, including a bracket; consisting of a plate bent to form a loop, a block positioned in the loop and formed with a grooved uppe end, and a 'key for fastening the block in the loop; a prop pivoted in the eye having resilient legs formed with angularly disposed ends, a guide plate having longitudinal grOOV8S at the edges thereof for the reception of the angularly disposed ends of the legs with a free sliding fit, p012 tions formed on the plate to provide notches into which the legs may spring and an abutment at one end of the plate to prevent passage of the angled ends of the legs from the grooves.

2. A lid prop, including an eye, a prop pivoted in the eye having resilient legs formed with angularly disposed ends, a guide plate having longitudinal grooves at the edges thereof for the reception of angularly disposed ends of the legs with a free sliding fit, portions formed on the plate to provide notches into which the legs may spring and anwabutment at one end of the plate to prevent passage of the angled ends of the legs from the grooves.

against relative movement when the plate and prop are in one position.

4. A 11d prop, 1ncluding an eye, a prop pivoted in the eye having resilient legs formed with angularly disposed ends and a guide plate engaged by the prop and provided with means cooperating with the prop to releasably retain the prop and plate against relative movement when in one position.

5. A lid prop, and means for pivotally mounting the prop including a. plate bent to form a loop, a block positioned in the loop and formed with a grooved upper end and a key for fastening the block in place in the loop.

6. A lid prop, and means for pivotally mounting the prop, including a plate bent to form a loop and a blockdetachably secured in the loop, said block formed with a grooved upper end.

7. A lid prop, and means for pivotally mounting the prop, including a plate bent to form a loop and a block detacha-bly secured in the loop to form therewith an eye.

LOUIS B. CRAIG. 

